The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-23
MARY AND ANNA.

Gamma, please help me- untangle this
thread, / am trying to finish these socks
for that crippled boz in the hospital"
"Why, Mary, i would not puzzle my
brain over that mess; just throw it into
TIE fire and buy some more. To un-
ravel that would be more difficult than
to solve SIMPSONS riddle or calulate the
next eclipse of the SUM-
81 am going to straighten it and save
my twenty-five cents, which is all i
have, to put in the missionary box next
Sabbath" said Mary.
"What, give the last cent you have
to the heathenl-you are so peculiar.
Mamma gave me two dollars for birth
day present yesterday and | have just
found love of a parisol down town
which costs Just the amount of my
bank. | must have it, and that right
away. You remember a big preacher
intends filling our pastors pulpit next
Sabbath, and moreover Mr.. Clifton has
engaged my company for that occasion
and YOU know the house will be
crowded"
"Mary-When did you and Mr.. Cliff
ton become reconciledY lie has been
gone long time"
"Well, Mary, we are such intimate
friends / do not mind telling you; we
are to be married next month. Now,
don't feel offended, for | do love you,
but am afraid if you do not lay aside
these old maidish ways and notions you
will cheat some man out of good wife.
You spend all your pin money for the
poor heathen' or some poor body. You
know the boys always like to see the
girls dress in style and be full OF life"
"Anna, / must do what Ey conscience
tells me is right, if | never do find
man weak headed enough to love me-.
Anna-"Don't you know if the Lord
intended for us to give money for chris
tianizing China and India and Japan
and all the dark places of the earth, >He
certainly would have given US more OF
this worlds goods? Let the Wander
bilts. Goulds, Queen Victoria and the
other rich people give, for they can give
and not miss it. 1t is all poor people
can do to live themselves"
Gamma, you certainly have forgotten
our lesson last Sabbath-how our Mas
ter commended the poor widow who
contributed so little. 1t was not the
gift that called forth the Saviour's
commendation, but the self-sacrihclng
spirit of the good, noble woman"
s'Oi Mary, / imagine she was an old,
faded woman who had no pride or love
of dress; and besides, in those ancient
davs people did not have to cut and cut
and pinch to keep up with the fashion.
You know dress was exceedingly plain |;
| perhaps not ruffie to be seem In large
congregation. Papa cannot spare money
to throw away. Mamma says If God
| wanted the heathens enlightened and
ehristianized. He would convert some
of them and send them among the
masses to preach, which / think would
be so much better than sending our
people and the money of the poor.
Now it seems reasonable that he would
do that, don't you think So"
/ Mary-"What did Christ say to the
disciples about going into all the world
to preach the gospel r
Anna-'I never did see Just such
girl as you are. You try to put stop
to every argument l bring forth, by
quoting some passage OF the Bible.
i Mary-"You certainly believe In the
Bible; and if so you certainly ought to
try to obey the commands.
The Cliftons were people OF property
and position in society; belonged to the
church because they said the "bes'
| society" is in the church. Occasionally
thev gave, but it was a mere pittance
considering the amount of their wealth
| Anna and Mr.. Henry Clifton wers
married in due season and there were q
round of gaities in consequence; supper'
and dinners, until even the gayest oi
the gay began to weary of the excite
ment.
Ali mothers who had marriageablt
daughters envied Annals good luck
She was beautiful and very entertaining
and her husband was handsome and ol
the most fascinating manners AL
things moved on merry as marriage
bell. The old gentleman set his son uI
in business; bought magnificent resi-
dence upon one Of the most fashionable
streets In the city. Anna had cook
housemaid and man to work the h0wel
garden and take her out driving behine
the splendid sorrel matches. Her carri
are was superb, her toilet faultless. he
home a little paradise, her Happiness
complete. She still retained her affec
tion for our Mary, and frequently callet
It her humble home to take her 0nt t,
! / ride with her.
Mary was now assisting her father il
the support Of the family by teaching !
!. little school.
Two years from the time our st0r.
lbecins Mary married son OF . plain
]. bnt well-to-do farmer. He WAS maj
: of strict integrity, industrious and finel.
: educated. He bought small house il
: The CITY with several rooms; and in thi
? house they lived. and he carried on